The Heart of Bayhealth: Volunteers Transform Care Across Our Health System
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to Bayhealth’s Community Benefit Report for Fiscal Year 2025. This is our chance to share the impact we’re making together – and to say thank you. As your community health system and a not-for-profit organization, everything we do is guided by the needs of the people we serve. Every dollar we receive is reinvested into programs, services and partnerships that improve health and well-being across central and southern Delaware.
Over the past fiscal year, we’ve expanded access to care, introduced innovative services and earned national recognition for excellence, from our Heart & Vascular Institute and Cancer Institute to our Magnet-recognized nursing teams. Programs like mobile cancer screenings, behavioral health initiatives, Project SEARCH and outreach to underserved populations show how we meet people where they are, helping them live healthier, fuller lives.
We also know that partnerships make a difference. Working with groups like the Food Bank of Delaware and other community organizations allows us to address social needs, improve access to care and strengthen the health of our community as a whole.
None of this would be possible without our amazing team members, clinicians, nurses and volunteers. Your dedication ensures every patient receives compassionate, high-quality care – and makes Bayhealth a trusted part of our community.
Looking ahead, we are excited about the Next Wave campaign, a bold effort to expand services, improve facilities and continue delivering exceptional care for generations to come. We invite you to read through this report, learn more about our impact and connect with us to explore how, together, we can create a healthier future for everyone in Delaware.
Warm regards,
Terry M. Murphy, FACHE President and CEO, Bayhealth
COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT
Government-Sponsored Means-Tested
By the Numbers: A Year of Extraordinary Impact
At a Glance – FY25 Volunteer Highlights
• 107,607 total volunteer hours across Bayhealth
• 32,632 visitors guided by Wayfinding volunteers
• 15 Pet Therapy teams made 34,266 visits
• 50,607 chaplain visits brought comfort and spiritual care
• 1,820 families enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
• Nearly 9,400 handmade and comfort items were delivered to patients and families
° 1,533 baby hats
° 1,461 crocheted blankets
° 728 quilts
° 997 stuffed animals
° 628 pillowcases
° 3,956 additional donated comfort items
• 63 summer students contributed 2,029 hours
• 23 co-op students contributed 1,798 hours
These numbers reflect thousands of human moments –comfort, guidance, reassurance, joy – that shape the Bayhealth experience daily.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Alzheimer’s Association
American Heart Association
Autism Delaware, Inc.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, Inc.
Cancer Support Community Delaware
Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce
Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford
Children’s Beach House
DAFP Research & Education Foundation, Inc.
DE Turf Sports Complex
Delaware Academy of Medicine
Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition
Delaware Diabetes Coalition
We’re proud to be a strong supporter of local organizations! On top of the work we do to keep the community healthy, we aim to support organizations who are doing great work to better our community in other ways. Here is a list of the community-focused organizations that we showed financial support to in Fiscal Year 2025:
Delaware Pride, Inc.
Delaware Prosperity Partnership, Inc.
Delaware Prostate Cancer Coalition
Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Delaware Tech & Community College
Downtown Milford, Inc.
Easter Seals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Embrace Delaware, Inc.
Food Bank of Delaware
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #15
Friends of Killens Pond State Park
Goeins-Williams Associates, Inc.
Harry K. Foundation
Hispanic Organization of Latin Americans Association
Hope Medical Clinic, Inc.
Kent Economic Partnership
Kent-Sussex Industries, Inc.
Leadership Delaware, Inc.
Learfield Communications, LLC
Love INC of Mid-Delmarva
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley
Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Club
Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Chamber of Commerce
Riders Football, Inc.
State of Delaware
The Delaware State Fair
TidalHealth Foundation, Inc.
Today Media, Inc.
Town of Smyrna
United Way of Delaware, Inc.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
Nourishing Our Neighbors
Food insecurity continues to be a challenge for many Delawareans, with one in eight residents facing hunger – particularly in Kent and Sussex counties. According to our Community Health Needs Assessment, rates are highest in Kent County, where 12% of adults and 23% of children are food insecure. Sussex County also
faces concerning levels, with 10% of adults and 17% of children lacking consistent access to nutritious food.
As a regional health leader, Bayhealth remains committed to ensuring healthier food options reach those most in need. In FY25, Bayhealth distributed 1,197 boxes of low-sugar, low-sodium foods to patients identified as food insecure – a 17% increase from FY24.
Bayhealth’s commitment extends to internal engagement as well. Through our annual food drive, team members donated 1,347 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Delaware. These collective efforts reflect our dedication to improving health beyond clinical care and supporting the well-being of Delawareans inside and outside our walls.
School-Based Wellness
Bayhealth recognizes many students need more than notebooks and pencils to succeed. Through a collaboration between Community Outreach and Occupational Health, Bayhealth Wellness Centers received over 4,000 essential hygiene items – everything from toothbrushes and deodorant
BAYHEALTH VISITS
to feminine hygiene products and leggings. The items were provided thanks to a grant from Bank of America via the Bayhealth Foundation. These resources ensure local high school students can focus on learning without the added stress of unmet basic needs.
Gift a Toy. Bring Joy.
Bayhealth’s annual toy drives bring comfort and joy to patients and families during the holiday season while supporting children across our community. This year, more than 1,000 toys were collected and
distributed to over 285 children, helping ease financial stress for families and ensuring children receiving care could experience the excitement of the holidays.
Care Where Needed
The Springboard Navigation Center in Georgetown, Delaware, provides immediate, supportive housing for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. The center offers temporary housing along with access to essential services, including healthcare, job training and case management.
BAYHEALTH MEDICAL GROUP CLINIC VISITS
Since 2024, Bayhealth has provided regular on-site support to residents. Visits are coordinated by community outreach and serve an average of 25 to 30 individuals each month.
Bayhealth teams deliver preventive and educational services such as colorectal and breast health education, respiratory education, flu vaccinations, sun safety education and hypothermia prevention.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Visit Bayhealth.org/Foundation or scan the QR code to learn how your financial donation can support our mission.
To volunteer with Bayhealth: Bayhealth.org/Volunteer
To partner with Bayhealth: Bayhealth.org/Community-Outreach
To recognize a clinical team member: Bayhealth.org/Patients/Recognize-a-Team-Member
To find a doctor: Bayhealth.org/Find-a-Doc
Community Health Needs Assessment: Bayhealth.org/CHNA
